Common HMRC FPS rejections and how to fix them
Submitting your FPS (Full Payment Submission) to HMRC in QuickBooks Online Payroll and getting a rejection can be frustrating. Here are 4 of the most common HMRC FPS rejections we’re seeing, plus how to solve them:
1. Incorrect characters in employee name
HMRC doesn’t accept certain special characters in employee names.
Common cause:
• Symbols like / \ & *
• Accents or special formatting
• Double spaces
| What to do: Check the employee’s name in their profile and remove any unsupported characters before re-running payroll and resubmitting. Employee names in the FPS can only contain letters, dashes (-), and apostrophes (‘). Symbols, numbers, or other characters will cause a rejection. |
2. Employee address too long
HMRC has strict character limits for address fields.
Common cause:
• Address lines exceeding HMRC’s character limits. Maximum limit of 35 characters (including spaces)
| What to do: Shorten address lines where possible (for example, removing county if not required), then re-submit the FPS. |
3. Incorrect NI letter
If an employee has the wrong National Insurance (NI) category letter, HMRC will reject the FPS.
Common cause:
• Male employee with NI letter “A” (use “B” only for female employees)
• Certain National Insurance (NI) letters (B, E, I, and T) are specific to female employees.
| What to do: Confirm the correct NI category in the employee profile, update it, re-run payroll, and submit again. |
4. Late reporting reason missing
If you’re submitting an FPS late, HMRC may require a late reporting reason. If you do not, or if HMRC disagrees with the reason, they may send you an online penalty warning message and a penalty.
| What to do: Make sure the correct late reporting reason is selected before submitting. |
If you want a detailed step-by-step guide on how to fix each issue, we’ve put together a full troubleshooting guide here. If you're still getting a rejection after checking the above, reach out to HMRC.
This is for customers who use QuickBooks Online Core, Premium, or Elite Payroll.